Coil winding machine

ABSTRACT

A machine for winding electrical coils in &#39;&#39;&#39;&#39;gang&#39;&#39;&#39;&#39; style on an elongated arbor. The machine includes serving means for inserting a sheet of paper or other insulating material automatically between each successive layer of wire in each of the coils on the arbor. Each sheet is cut automatically to a length sufficient to wrap around the then-existing layers of wire in the coils, each sheet overlapping slightly at its beginning and terminal ends. Means are provided to commence serving each sheet at the same relative location on each coil, thus causing all the overlaps to occur at the same radial location on the coil. A generally elliptically shaped coil is formed.

United States Patent Lee et a1.

[54] COIL WINDING MACHINE [72] Inventors: Donald S. Lee, Brookfield; Richard Settanni, Bethel, both of Conn.

[73] Assignee: Leesona Corporation, Warwick, R.l. [22] Filed: Dec. 22, 1969 [21] Appl. N0.: 887,205

[52] US. Cl. ..242/7.08, 242/703 [51] Int. Cl. ..H0lf 41/12 [58] Field of Search ..242/7.08, 56.1, 4; 29/203,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,948,776 2/1934 Thordarson et a1. .....242/7.08 3,224,690 12/1965 Holman ..242/3 2,029,577 2/1936 Le Boeuf ..242/7.08

(ix-(re 51 Sept. 19,1972

2,688,450 8/1954 Bell ..242/7.08

Primary Examiner-Billy S. Taylor Attorney-Albert P. Davis and Burnett W. Norton [57] ABSTRACT A machine for winding electrical coils in gang style on an elongated arbor. The machine includes serving means for inserting a sheet of paper or other insulating material automatically between each successive layer of wire in each of the coils on the arbor. Each sheet is cut automatically to a length sufficient to wrap around the then-existing layers of wire in the coils, each sheet overlapping slightly at its beginning and terminal ends. Means are provided to commence serving each sheet at the same relative location on each coil, thus causing all the overlaps to occur at the same radial location on the coil. A generally elliptically shaped coil is formed.

2 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures PATENTEDSEP 19 m2 3.692.250

SHEET 2 BF 3 INVENTORS DONALD S.-"LEE RICHARD SE TANNI I I M M WA; M

ATTORNEYS PATENTEDSEP 19 m2 SHEET 3 BF 3 FIGG PRIOR ART FIGB DONALD RICHAR 'EIZS'TANNI v 09 M M% m ATTORNEYS con. WINDING MACHINE BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to improvements in winding machines and particularly to machines for winding electrical coils with sheets of paper or other insulating material inserted between the layers of wire or otherconductor forming the coil.

As used herein the term coil" is used in a broad sense to indicate any form of wound body; the term wire to designate all types of conductor; and the term paper to apply to sheet insulation generally.

In the prior art it is known to wind electrical coils which constitute a plurality of layers of wire formed on a core, and to insert a sheet of paper between each succeeding layer of wire in each coil. The paper is fed into the coils at the completion of winding of each layer and wrapped around the periphery of the outermost of the then-existing wire layers. To insure that the paper will establish an effective insulating barrier between succeeding layers of wire in the coil it is usual to cause the edges of the paper to overlap to some extent, thus precluding a gap between the two edges, i.e., the beginning and terminal edges of each wrap of paper. These overlaps understandably create a piling or bulging in the otherwise uniform periphery of each layer of wire wraps in the coil. To counteract this bulging, the practice in the past has been to feed the paper into each succeeding layer of wire so that the wrapping began at a different point relative to each layer. This staggers the overlaps of paper and, thus, in effect balances the piling.

or bulging condition. Consequently, the initial coil shape is maintained as the wire layers built up.

According to the present invention the overlaps of the insulating paper in each coil are oriented in generally radial alignment in the coil. This is achieved by serving the paper into the same relativeposition on the coil each time a sheet of paper is so served. As a result, coils are wound which are somewhat elliptical in shape, the greatest cross-sectional area occuring, of course, where the overlaps are concentrated, and the remainder of the coil being of substantially less thickness. Among the several advantages of such coils is that the density of the conductor material is increased where the coil cross-section is reduced. Hence, where this section of dense conductor material passes through a lamination stack the efficiency of the induction coil is increased. Further, the opening of the lamination stack which receives the coil can be reduced where the cross-section of the coil situated therein is correspondingly reduced while, at the same time, maintaining high conductor density therein. This aids in meeting critical space limitations within a pot or container for the assembled unit.

One object of the invention is to provide a machine of the type specified having improved, automatically operated means for inserting insulating sheets of paper between each layer of wire in the coil at precise intervals during the winding thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for serving paper sheets accurately and precisely into place on the coils to insure their proper overlying relationship with respect to the layers of wire therein.

A further object of the invention is to provide serving means for introducing the several sheets of paper to each coil at the same relative location on the coil, thus causing the overlap of the sheets to reside in general radial alignment on the coil.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a sheet-serving mechanism for use with a coil winding machine which will operate to yield coils having at least one portion which is smaller in'cross-section than the remainder of the coil.

Another object of the present invention-is to provide a wire coil havingat least one cross-sectional area of narrower width than the remainder of the coil.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the apparatus possessing the construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts which are exemplified in the following detailed disclosure, and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the claims.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be had to the accompanying detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a coil winding machine incorporating the novel sheet serving mechanism of the instant invention;

FIG. Z'is an enlarged side elevation view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 and showing the details of the sheeting serving mechanism;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view showing details of the delivery shelf;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view illustrating the delivery shelf in operative position for serving a sheet of paper into a coil;

FIG. 5 is a schematic wiring diagram illustrating the circuit for controlling the automatic operation of the sheet serving mechanism;

FIG. 6 is a detailed perspective view of the photoelectric unit in operative association with the handwheel unit of the invention;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view .through a coil wound in accordance with the invention and showing the radial alignment of the overlaps of paper in the electrical coil;

FIG. 8 is an end elevational view illustrating the configuration of an electrical coil wound in accordance with the present invention; and

FIG. 9' is a view similar to FIG. 7 illustrating the outline of an electrical coil wound in accordance with the prior art.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention is directed to improvements in coil winding apparatus of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,029,577 issued Feb. 4, 1936 to Arthur N.

LeBoeuf incorporating the paper feed mechanism as 1 disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,688,450 issued Sept. 7, I 4 to Charles C. Bell. In view of the fact that the coil winding mechanism and paper feed structure herein may be the same as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,029,577 and 2,688,450, respectively, the disclosures of these two patents are deemed to be incorporated herein by reference and if more complete description of the functions and operations of the aforesaid mechanisms and structures are desired beyond that provided herein, reference should be made to the cited patents.

In the interests of conciseness and clarity in understanding the present invention a fragmentary view of a coil winding machine of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 2,688,450 is illustrated in FIG. I and, as shown, comprises a frame F which includes a bed and legs 12 and 14 for supporting bed. The bed 10 serves as a mount for a headstock l6 and tailstock 18, each of which carries the journals for an associated spindle shown at 20, 22, respectively. An arbor 24 is supported for rotation between spindles 20, 22, the arbor, in turn, serving to slidably receive a paper tube 26 or other coil support thereon for rotation therewith. As the tube 26 and its supporting arbor 24 are rotated by suitable means such as an electric motor (not shown) connected through belt means with spindle 20, strands of a conductor or wire W are fed from above and over traverse guides 28, 30 to the tube 26 whereupon coils C are wound at spaced locations axially along the tube. The traverse guides 28, 30 are carried at spaced apart locations on a traversing carriage 32 which is reciprocated parallel to the axis of arbor 24 by means of a suitable cam (not shown) operating a traverse rod 34. The rate of traverse of .wire W in response to movement of carriage 32 is correlated with the speed of rotation of tube 26, thereby controlling the turns of wire which form each layer in coil C.

It has already been discussed that the coil winding machine includes the paper feed mechanism of U.S. Pat. No. 2,688,450 and, viewing FIGS. land 2, certain details thereof are illustrated to promote a full understanding of the present invention. Thus, the paper feed mechanism includes a delivery shelf 40, which is mounted on a horizontal shaft 42 for rocking movement thereabout to deliver the sheet material P, i.e., paper orthe like, to the coils C being wound on tube 26. The delivery shelf 40 is controlled in its movements by a cam 44 (FIG. 1) and a relatively heavy counteracting coil spring 46. Cam 44 mounted on a rotating cam shaft 45 is operable to rock delivery shelf 40 counterclockwise (FIGS. and 2) toward arbor 24 and the coils being wound thereon through a linkage including a rocker arm 48 which carries a cam follower thereon for rolling contact with the periphery to cam 44. The end of rocker arm 48 remote from the cam follower is loosely pinned to the lower end of a link 50. The upper end of link 50 is attached to one arm 52 of a rockable bell crank 54. The other arm 56 of said bell crank has one end of a tie rod 58 joined therewith. The opposite end of tie rod 58 is rockably attached to a rigid pendant 60 connected with and extending from the lower end of delivery shelf 40. Thus, as rocker arm 48 is rocked clockwise (FIG. 2) by cam 44, bell crank 54 rocks counterclockwise to shift tie rod 58 leftwardly (viewing FIG. 2), whereupon delivery shelf 40 is advanced toward arbor 24. As seen in FIG. 2, spring 46 is connected atone of its ends to a post 62 secured in the rear wall of delivery shelf 40, and the other end of the spring is fixed in a tab 64 integral with the frame of the coil winding machine. Spring 46 is extended as delivery shelf 40 rocks counterclockwise under the influence of cam 44 and operates to return the shelf to its inoperative generally upright position when the delivery shelf 40 is released from the rocking action imparted thereto by an appropriate lobe on cam 44.

The delivery shelf 40 includes a series of rubbercovered paper feed rolls spaced therealong a pair of which are shown in FIG. 3 and a further series of cooperating rollers 71 which engage peripherally with feed rolls 70. The feed rolls 70 and cooperating rollers 71 and their mode of operation are described in detail in U.S. Pat. No. 2,688,450. For present purposes it is to be noted that the paper feed rolls 70 are mounted fast on a rotatable horizontal shaft 72 which extends substantially the full length of the machine and rollers 71 are similarly rotatable on shaft 73. The right-hand end of shaft 72 has a pinion 74 affixed thereon, said pinion engaging with a gear segment 76 rockably mounted on shaft 42. A spring 78 is connected at one of its ends in a hole pierced through segment 76 and the opposite end of spring 78 is fastened to a stop pin 80 protruding from the frame of the coil winding machine. The spring 78 serves to bias gear segment 76 counterclockwise as seen in FIG. 2, the extent of this movement being limited as the segment abuts against stop pin 80. For

purposes of guiding the rocking path of segment 76 and to stabilize its movement, the segment has an elongated slot therein at 82 through which a threaded stud 84 having a broad head extends. The interior end of stud 84 is threaded into a suitable tapped hole in the machine frame and the segment is freely rockable on its shaft 42 relative to stud 84. It will be appreciated that with paper engageable for movement between paper feed rolls 70 and rollers 71, the paper will be projected forwardly from delivery shelf 40 as the shelf is rocked counterclockwise, viewing FIG. 3, and as the feed rolls 70 are rotated concurrently with such rocking motion by the action of pinion 74 rotating from segment 76. In order that the paper may be properly guided in the correct tangential path for insertion in the coil the forward end of delivery shelf 40 is provided with an extension plate 86 on which the paper lies as it is projected from between feed rolls 70 and rollers 71 and preparatory to its engagement in the coil.

With attention now particularly to FIGS. 1-4, a solenoid 90 is connected to an L-shaped bracket 92, which in turn, is affixed to machine member 94 by bolts 96. The movable core of the solenoid 90 has a pair of cars 102 formed in its forward end which are bridged by a pin 104. A rod 106 is connected at one of its ends to pin 104 and the distal end of the rod is attached to the rear end of segment 76 through a hole 108 therein. By virtue of this arrangement when solenoid 90 is deenergized core 100 is spring-biased to a position projecting forwardly toward segment 76 as seen in FIG. 2. Also, at this time segment 76 is resting against stop 80 under the load provided by spring 78. Upon energiza tion of solenoid 90, core 100 is drawn into its coil, shifting rod to the right (FIG. 2) and, consequently, pulling segment 76 abruptly in a clockwise direction, as also seen in FIG. 2. This action produces a rapid rotation of pinion.

The energization of solenoid 90 is under the joint mission to photoelectric cell 112 by a handwheel 116 connected with spindle 20, and it is only when an aperture 118 through the handwheel 116 is carried into alignment with the light source that the light therefrom is received at cell 112.

7 Reference is now made to the circuit diagram of FIG. 5 for details of the electrical controls of the invention. The circuit is powered by a source of alternating current via parallel lines 120, 122 which are connected to the primary winding 124 of a transformer 126. The secondary 128 of transformer 126 is connected via a tap 1 30 and a parallel line 132 to the input of a bridge rectifier 134 with a fuse 135 connected in line 132. A further transformer 136 is provided in the circuit with the primary winding 137 thereof connected by means of leads 138, 140 to line 190 and line 132 respectively. The secondary 142 of transformer 136 is connectedto emitter lamp 144 via lines 146, 148 and through resistor 150 in line 148. Lamp 144, which is carried in the aforedescribed holder 114, is thus continuously illuminated when current is delivered through lines 120, 122 and provides the source of excitation for photosensitive cell 112.

The direct current output of bridge rectifier 134 is carried by means of conductor 154 to a resistor 156 acting to drop the voltage through the D.C. side of the circuit. A smoothing filter for the D.C. current in the form of capacitor 158 is provided in conductor 152. A line 160 from resistor 156 is connected to the base contact of a transistor 162, with the photosensitive cell 112 being connected in the line 160 for receiving light emitted from lamp 144. A resistor 164 is also connected in line 160 to protect transistor 162 from current surges. The emitter contact of transistor 162 is connected to bridge rectifier 134 via line 166 and through a resistor 168 in the line.

The D.C. circuit also includes the single pole normally open limit switch 110, the contacts 172 thereof being connected to line 160 by a lead 174. A control relay 176 is connected with switch 110 through lead 178 with the holding contacts 180 of the control relay being serially connected across line 182. Line 182 is connected across a line 184 from control relay 176 and interconnected with line 166 of the circuit. An arc-suppressing diode 186 is provided in parallel with control relay 176 to prevent damage to transistor 162 when the control relay is deenergized.

The A.C. side of the circuit includes a line 190 connected to the secondary 128 of transformer 126 in parallel with line 132 and joined with the gate of a gated bidirectional switch 192 having a built-in trigger. A second pair of contacts 194 of control relay 176 are connected in line 190 along with a resistor 196. The main terminals of the gated bidirectional switch 192 are connected via leads 198 and 200 to lines 190 and 132, respectively. A capacitor 202 and resistor 204 are connected across lines 132 and 190 to reduce the rate of rise of voltage across switch 192 when said switch turns off. Otherwise switch 192 may be retriggered. The coil 206 of solenoid 90 is connected in line 190 and adapted upon being energized to effect serving of a sheet of paper P into coil C.

The foregoing structure is operable in the following manner. Arbor 24 with a tube 26 thereon is mounted for rotation between spindles 20 and 22 and wire W is directed from its supply source and led around traverse guides 28 and 30 and attached to the tube. In the machine shown and described herein it is contemplated that a plurality of separate wires W would be arranged as just described to thereby wind a plurality of coils simultaneously in side-by-side or ganged relationship on tube 26. In this event the insulating paper is fed as a single sheet simultaneously into all of the coils, the paper and tube being slit between each of the coils at the end of the winding cycle to permit separation of the individual coils.

As the winding cycle commences the wire is traversed by traversing carriage 32 through a stroke to lay a layer of wire on rotating tube 26. At the end of the stroke a sheet of paper is served automatically to enclose and thus insulate the layer of wire as the tube and its arbor continue to rotate and as the wire continues to advance and wind into the coil. Thereupon, the traversing carriage 32 is actuated automatically to move in the reverse direction and lay another layer of wire superimposed on the prior layer, the layers, of course, being separated by the insulating sheet of paper. At the end of this further stroke of traversing carriage 32 a further sheet of paper is served into the coil to provide insulation around the periphery of this further layer. These motions are repeated until a coil of desired diameter is wound.

It has already been stated that the invention is effective to commence feeding of all of the sheets of paper P into each coil in a generally common radial plane. Due to the fact that each sheet of paper P is wrapped around the coil so as to provide an overlap, it follows that all of the overlaps will similarly reside in a substantially common line as seen in FIG. 8. The precise feeding of the paper P is achieved by rotating handwheel 116 to a point where its aperture 118 lays in the radial plane corresponding to the position on tube 26 at which the paper is to be served to the coil being wound thereon. Rotation of the handwheel may be effected through clutching mechanism 208 which connects the handwheel 116 to spindle 20 for common rotation and which is operable to permit rotation of the handwheel relative to the spindle when radial repositioning of the handwheel is desired. Aperture 118 thereupon continues as a reference throughout the winding of the coils for commencement of serving of each succeeding sheet of paper. With the handwheel engaged for rotation with spindle 20, the machine is started to rotate the arbor 24 and tube 26 thereon. With each revolution of handwheel 116 the aperture 118 passes between lamp 144 and photosensitive cell 112 to permit an emitting signal to pass to the cell. However, operation of solenoid is blocked in'response to this signal as long as switch is open. Toward the end of each traversal pass of traversing carriage 32 cam 44 is operative to rock paper delivery shelf 40 toward the coils C as seen in FIG. 4. As the delivery shelf 40 is rocked toward these coils, pinion 74 is rotated by its engagement with the teeth of segment 76 to roll the paper forwardly over plate 86 with the forwardmost edge of the paper P projecting from the plate. Thereafter, cam 111 operates to close switch 110. The next pass of aperture 118 past lamp 144 will fire transistor 162, which, in turn, energizes control relay 176, the control relay then being held closed by contacts 180. Simultaneously, holding contacts 194 are closed which pulses the gated bidirectional switch to thereby energize coil 206 and operate solenoid 90. When solenoid 90 is energized its core 100 is drawn in, pulling rod 106 to the right and thus causing segment 76 to rock abruptly clockwise, from the position of FIG. 2 to that of FIG. 4. As segment 76 is so turned, pinion 74 which is engaged with the segment is rotated counterclockwise (FIG. 2). Consequently, feed rolls 70 and cooperating rollers 71 are rotated to thrust the paper P into the coil where it is trapped between the wire W feeding tangentially to the coil and the wire already wrapped onto tube 26 as seen in FIG. 4 and, hence, caused to wrap around the outside of the outermost layer of wire.

Following the feeding of the paper cam lll releases switch 110 to its open position and, simultaneously, cam 44 releases delivery shelf 40 whereupon the shelf rocks clockwise under the influence of spring 46. The circuit is deenergized as switch 110 is opened, and delivery shelf 40 is again prepared to deliver a further sheet of paper to the next ensuing layer of wire in each coil C, the mechanism for so preparing the shelf being fully described in U. S. Pat. No. 2,688,450.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for winding electrical coils comprising:

a rotatable member operable to receive an advancing strand of wire for winding thereon;

traversing mechanism for distributing the wire in successive overlying layers on said rotatable member to wind a coil;

sheet delivery meansoperable to insert a sheet of insulating material for wrapping about each layer of wire after winding thereof; said sheet delivery means including a shelf engageable with said sheet and rockable to position said sheet for wrapping about each succeeding layer of wire wound in the coil; said shelf including feed roll means for advancing said sheet toward said coil coincident with advancement of said sheet toward said coil by movement of said delivery shelf; said feed roll means including at least one feed roll mounted on a shaft, a pinion on said shaft, and an actuator for moving said pinion;

means for sensing the angular position of rotatable member; said sensing means including a photoelectric means operative to produce a signal at a predetermined interval in the course of winding each layer;

control means operable in response to a signal from said sensing means for actuating said sheet delivery means to commence insertion of each sheet of insulating material into the layers of wire in said coil in a substantially common radial plane; said control means including solenoid drive means forshifting said actuator and thereby moving said feed roll means to insert each said sheet into engagement with a layer of wire for wrapping thereabout; said control means further including circuitry comprising a normally open switch and cam means for closing said switch periodically; said circuitry being activated by said signal to energize said solenoid drive means after said switch is closed.

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said said source, and including means for affording passage of the light to said photocell coincident with the closing of said switch to thereby insert said sheet onto the last wound layer of wire in said coil at a predetermined position. 

1. Apparatus for winding electrical coils comprising: a rotatable member operable to receive an advancing strand of wire for winding thereon; traversing mechanism for distributing the wire in successive overlying layers on said rotatable member to wind a coil; sheet delivery means operable to insert a sheet of insulating material for wrapping about each layer of wire after winding thereof; said sheet delivery means including a shelf engageable with said sheet and rockable to position said sheet for wrapping about each succeeding layer of wire wound in the coil; said shelf including feed roll means for advancing said sheet toward said coil coincident with advancement of said sheet toward said coil by movement of said delivery shelf; said feed roll means including at least one feed roll mounted on a shaft, a pinion on said shaft, and an actuator for moving said pinion; means for sensing the angular position of rotatable member; said sensing means Including a photoelectric means operative to produce a signal at a predetermined interval in the course of winding each layer; control means operable in response to a signal from said sensing means for actuating said sheet delivery means to commence insertion of each sheet of insulating material into the layers of wire in said coil in a substantially common radial plane; said control means including solenoid drive means for shifting said actuator and thereby moving said feed roll means to insert each said sheet into engagement with a layer of wire for wrapping thereabout; said control means further including circuitry comprising a normally open switch and cam means for closing said switch periodically; said circuitry being activated by said signal to energize said solenoid drive means after said switch is closed.
 2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said photoelectric means includes a light emitting source and a photosensitive cell for receiving the light from said source, and including means for affording passage of the light to said photocell coincident with the closing of said switch to thereby insert said sheet onto the last wound layer of wire in said coil at a predetermined position. 